Ginger, a common cooking spice and herbal medicine has been in use for over 2,000 years in Asia, India and the Middle East.Commonly known as ginger root, which is actually the stem rhizome, or underground, providing plant health benefits. Add fresh ginger to your food, or extract the active ingredients by making it into a tea.
Reduces inflammation
Ginger inhibits the metabolism of arachidonic acid, a fatty acid that causes inflammation in the body. Professionals in health care often prescribe ginger for inflammatory joint diseases such as arthritis. In a study published in the Indian Journal of Rheumatology, the scientists compared the efficacy of indomethacin, an non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, ginger in 52 participants with knee osteoarthritis. The study concluded that ginger is as effective as indomethacin, and may be an option for patients currently taking anti-inflammatory drugs for pain control.
Digestion
Ginger is known to relieve nausea and vomiting associated with morning sickness, motion sickness, surgery and chemotherapy. In a study published in Acta Oto-laryngologica, 80 naval cadets prone to motion sickness were given 1 g of ginger or a placebo. In the group taking ginger, cold sweats and vomiting tendency was significantly reduced compared with the placebo group.
You can prevent heart disease
According to the University of Maryland School of Medicine, ginger can benefit heart disease. In some studies, ginger has been shown to lower cholesterol and reduce blood clotting. Ginger can also work by inhibiting the viscosity of the plaques in the arteries, reducing the likelihood of abnormal clot formation in blood vessels of the heart. These positive effects could reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.
